Identifying your Website Objectives

Craig Borysowich (Chief Technology Tactician)

Gain an understanding of the goals and objectives of the organization. Review the organization's mission statement. Focus on:

· what the organization does,

· how they do it,

· why they do it.

Prepare Site Mission Statement

Prepare a statement of the purpose of the site. Make sure the site is aligned with the overall objectives of the organization. Briefly describe in a paragraph or less the main goal. For example, the site may be intended as a reference source, a marketing tool, a training support vehicle or an electronic commerce venture.

Define Goals and Objectives

Expand on the goals identified in the statement of purpose. Be more specific about the objectives and indicate how and when the success of the site is to be measured. Include both short-term (i.e., six months to a year) and long-term (i.e., a year or more) objectives. Consider the implications for ongoing site maintenance. This sample shows the goals and objectives for a Web-enabled sales force automation system.

Identify the Audience

To be successful, the Web site design needs to meet the needs of its potential users. Take into consideration the following factors:

· knowledge,

· skills,

· background,

· needs and expectations,

· frequency of use,

· tools and browsers,

· bandwidth,

· language,

· terminology,

· culture.

Often the site design must be flexible enough to accommodate both the novice and occasional user as well as experienced and frequent users.